Against All Odds
by Bunny1
Summary: Takes Place directly after season 2 finale ...


"Against All Odds"  
by,  
Bunny  
  
  
  
Tommy is sitting alone in the Lair, absently thumbing through some of   
Merton's books, trying to find *any* kind of loophole to save him. He looks   
sadly at the statue that was his best friend, and shakes his head ruefully.   
"I'm so sorry..." he whispers, blinking back the tears and shaking his head,   
forcing himself to return to the book, but he looks off into the distance, as   
if struck by some memory...   
  
~How can I just let you walk away? Just let you leave without a trace? When   
I stand here taking every breath, with you. Oooooh. You're the only one who   
really knew me at all. How can you just walk away from me, when all I can do   
is watch you leave? Cos, we shared the laughter and the pain. And even shed   
the tears. You're the only one who really knew me at all.~  
  
{Tommy danced, Stacey in his arms, not a care in the world. Suddenly, a soft   
plea broke up on his ears...   
  
Merton was yanked from his chair by T&T. "I was sitting... HELP ME!" he   
yelped as they dragged him away.  
  
Tommy's protective instinct instantly up, he grew angry fangs without even   
thinking about it.   
  
"Tommy, not here! We're in a public place." Stacey giggled, thinking he was   
on the make.   
  
Tommy nodded and gave her a closed-mouthed smile, sending an evil glare   
towards the doorway behind her back. Suddenly, he noticed the claws   
growing... "Ahhh..." he whispered, suddenly running away.  
  
"Tommy, where are you going?!" she demanded, stamping her foot.   
  
"It's only fair to warn you, my father's a Navy Seal..." Merton said as they   
were dragging him towards the wall.  
  
Tommy grew angrier, his transformation more quickly coming.  
  
"I could disembowel a Rhino with a paperclip?" he tried, as they slammed him   
into the wall.  
  
"What do you think, Tim?" Travis asked. "We work on the suplex, figure four,   
or go straight for the bodyslam?"   
  
"Bodyslam!" they said together, with a little nod.  
  
Tommy growled ferally as he leaped upon them, knocking them away from Merton.   
Merton cheered him on as he fought them and scared them away.   
  
"See ya, loosers!" Merton taunted as they jumped the fence. "Yeah, there's   
more where that came from! OH yeah! Thanks, Tommy..." he said gratefully,   
looking around for his new friend. "Tommy? What are you doin' back here?" he   
asked, seeing him finally with his head stuck in the back door.  
  
"That should be *me* in there dancing with her." he pouted. "But nooooo. Look   
at me! I'm a frikin monster!"   
  
"You saved my butt, Tommy... A monster wouldn't've done that..." he said   
softly. "Except for maybe Swamp Thing; he had a good heart..." he ammended   
with a tilt of his head. "Come on, we should get you back to the Lair before   
the Dog Catcher makes his rounds..." he said, biting back a laugh and turning   
to go. "Tommy?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah... I'm coming..." he sighed, taking one last look at Stacey   
dancing with the other guy...}  
  
  
~So, take a look at me now. Well, there's just an empty space. And, there's   
nothin' left here to remind me. Just the memory of your face. Well, take a   
look at me now. Well, there's just an empty space. And, you coming back to me   
is against the odds, and that's what I've got to face.~   
  
{Tommy carefully shouldered the knapsack with Merton's head inside.  
  
"My neck, Tommy. My neck..." he pleaded. "Your gym-bag *stinks*!" he   
complained.  
  
"Hope you had fun at the school psychiatrist, Tommy." Becky smiled at him.  
  
"Oh, uh, thanks?" he said, confused, as he was walking past. "Merton, how's   
your sister know about that?" he demanded.  
  
"Oh, I might've mentioned it in exchange for remote-control privileges?" he   
said a bit apologetically.  
  
"Merton! You realize your sister's the biggest gossip in school? I don't want   
people thinkin' I'm nuts!" he hissed.  
  
"It's all about you. What about me? I'm invisible, my head's in a bag, and   
I'm totally naked."  
  
Tommy let go of the bag and moved away, freaked. "Totally?"  
  
Merton nodded.  
  
"Couldn't you at least have put some underwear on?"  
  
"My clothes aren't invisible; just me. Did ya want it to look like you were   
chased around by a pair of haunted underpants?"}  
  
~I wish I could just make you turn around, turn around and see me cry.   
There's so much I need to say to you, so many reasons why. You're the only   
one who really knew me at all.~  
  
{Merton stood to the side as Tommy jumped out of the bushes, ready to fight   
his double.  
  
"Now I'm gonna kick my butt!" he declared, getting into fighting stance.   
  
It seemed to be a standstill, each blocking the others moves...  
  
"You can't beat me!" Evil Tommy taunted. "I'm just as strong as you. I'm just   
as fast as you. But, *unlike* you, I play dirty!" he said, reaching up to   
kick him below the belt.   
  
Tommy merely laughed. "I know, that's why I'm wearin' my cup."   
  
Evil Tommy looked scared for the merest of seconds, just as Tommy reached and   
kicked *him*, sending him flying.   
  
Getting on top of him, he punched him over and over, leaving him laying on   
the ground, gasping. Finally, he grabbed a rock, ready to do away with him.  
  
"Tommy! Don't do it!" Merton pleaded. "If you do it, you'll be just as bad as   
him. The only way to master your inner demons is to accept them. As part of   
who you are."  
  
"Time to come home." Tommy nodded, standing before him with his arms spread.  
  
"Nooooo!" Evil Tommy screamed as he was sucked back inside of Tommy.   
  
Tommy sat on his knees, gasping and panting.  
  
"Is... is he gone?" Merton asked, coming to check on Tommy.  
  
"No. He's just back where he belongs..."}  
  
~So, take a look at me now. Well, there's just an empty space. And, there's   
nothin' left here to remind me, just the memory of your face. Now, take a   
look at me now. Cos there's just an empty space. But, to wait for you is all   
I can do. And, that's what I've got to face. Take a good look at me now. Cos   
I'll still be standin' here. And, you comin' back to me is against all odds.   
It's a chance I've got to take.~  
  
Tommy took one more look Merton and shook his head sadly. "I... I'll be   
seein' ya, buddy. That's a promise..." he rasped out, giving a short salute   
before he shut the door and walked away...  
  
~Take a look at me now...~  
  
  
~*The End*~  



End file.
